TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2006//
TI  - A four-step approach for establishment of a national medical response to mega-terrorism
JO  - Prehospital and disaster medicine
A1  - Leiba, Adi
A1  - Blumenfeld, Amir
A1  - Hourvitz, Ariel
A1  - Weiss, George
A1  - Peres, Michal
A1  - Schwartz, Deena
A1  - Goldberg, Avishay
A1  - Levi, Y.
A1  - Bar-Dayan, Yaron
SP  - 436
EP  - 440
VL  - 21
IS  - 6
N2  - A simplified, four-step approach was used to establish a medical management and response plan to mega-terrorism in Israel. The basic steps of this approach are: (1) analysis of a scenario based on past incidents; (2) description of relevant capabilities of the medical system; (3) analysis of gaps between the scenario and the expected response; and (4) development of an operational framework. Analyses of both the scenario and medical abilities led to the recommendation of an evidence-based contingency plan for mega-terrorism. An important lesson learned from the analyses is that a shortage in medical first responders would require the administration of advanced life support (ALS) by paramedics at the scene, along with simultaneous, rapid evacuation of urgent casualties to nearby hospitals by medics practicing basic life support (BLS). Ambulances and helicopters should triage casualties from inner to outer circle hospitals secondarily, preferentially Level-1 trauma centers. In conclusion, this four-step approach based on scenario analysis, mapping of medical capabilities, detection of bottlenecks, and establishment of a unique operational framework, can help other medical systems develop a response plan to mega-terrorist attacks.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1049-023X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -